A variety of galvanic skin treatment devices are known in the art. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,147,297, 5,162,043, 5,298,017, 5,326,341, 5,405,317, 5,685,837, 6,584,349, 6,421,561 and 6,653,014, and U.S. Pat. App. Publication No. 2007/0185431. Galvanic skin treatment devices may include, among other things, an electrode pair brought into contact with a patient, each end of the electrode being electrically connected to either the anode or the cathode of a current supply from a power delivery circuit operably connected to a control circuit for the electrical instrument. Power for the device is usually provided by DC batteries that, when providing power to the circuitry, allow application of a voltage to the electrodes to create a regulated current flow in the skin.
An anode and a cathode electrode may function as a galvanic couple, comprising a donor electrode and a counter electrode. Such a combination produces an electric potential across the skin when brought in contact or close proximity thereto, and provides a current flow when body tissue and/or fluids form a complete circuit between the electrodes.
A use known in the art for such galvanic skin treatment devices, as exemplified in the references cited above, is iontophoresis. Iontophoresis is essentially an ion delivery method, wherein ions bearing positive and negative charges may be driven across the skin at the sites of electrical nodes. Typically, the patient applies a pharmacologically active topical agent to the skin, such as a cream, spray, or lotion, which contains pharmacologically active ions. The application of direct current to the skin, using the galvanic device, then drives the ions into the skin, where they are absorbed by the body and react therein to produce the desired biological effect.
Some iontophoretic applications have been indicated for the prevention or treatment of ischemia, or poor blood circulation. Ischemia is the result of an inadequate flow of blood to a part of the body, which in some cases may be caused by constriction or blockage of the blood vessels supplying it. In severe cases, ischemia can result in tissue damage because of a lack of oxygen and nutrients. In less severe cases, ischemia can result in the build-up of metabolic wastes in the tissue, which can, over time, lead to increased fat deposits, increased concentration of toxicity (i.e., toxic metabolic by-products or environmental toxins) in the tissue, and decreased metabolic activity, among other things.
Where iontophoresis is used to prevent or treat ischemia, the topical application may include one or more natural compounds such as terpenoids, one or more synthetic amino acids such as L-arginine, or one or more synthetic pharmacological agents such as actetylcholine. A significant amount of research has been done in this field, and its methods are well known in the art. See, e.g., M. Rossie et al., “Spectral analysis of skin laser Doppler blood perfusion signal during cutaneous hyperemia in response to acetylcholine iontophoresis and ischemia in normal subjects,” Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation 31:303-10 (2004).
Other, non-pharmacological methods are also known in the art for the treatment and prevention of ischemia. For example, it was reported by Kerschan-Schindl et al. (Clinical Physiology 21(3), 377-382 (2001)) that physical vibration applied to the body can lead to increased blood flow volume. In this study, the subjects were exposed to whole-body vibration. Localized, externally introduced vibration, through devices used in massage is also known as a treatment for various conditions. Massage is claimed to improve blood circulation, to flush lactic acid from the muscles and to improve the circulation of the lymph fluid which carries metabolic waste away from muscles and internal organs, resulting in lower blood pressure and improved body function.
Recently, research has recognized that low blood flow is associated with tissue considered to exhibit cellulite, a condition of skin for which treatment is often sought. See “A multilocus candidate approach identifies ACE and HIF1A as susceptibility genes for cellulite”, 24 Journal of European Academy of Dermatology and Venerology 935-50 (2010). It is not clear whether the low blood flow is a cause or an effect of cellulite (or both). However, this finding suggests that increasing blood flow may help address this condition.
What is needed in the art is an improved system and method for increasing blood flow in targeted skin regions of the body.